Privacy needs to be built into the Internet

The first phase of the internet lasted until the early 1990s, focusing on connectivity and growth without significant concerns about data security or privacy. In the second phase, beginning in the mid-1990s with the introduction of SSL, security became paramount, enabling e-commerce and secure online transactions. However, this security was often misunderstood as guaranteeing privacy, which it did not. The third phase, now underway, focuses on privacy as a core element alongside universal connectivity and security. Governments and citizens are demanding control over their data, leading to complex regulatory challenges for companies that have built businesses around aggregating user information. New tools and protocols are being developed to build a privacy-respecting internet and give companies the means to easily create privacy-respecting applications.